Welcome to the new HPR!

Welcome to the first-ever electronic issue of Homiletic and Pastoral Review!

After 111 years, the “what” we publish – to provide essays and homilies on the truths and the beauty of Jesus Christ and his one, true Church; and the “why” we publish—to help save souls; both remain the same. But the “how” we publish has changed. We are in no way ceasing publication, but the world of publishing is changing drastically before our very eyes.

In fact, recent studies show that 70 percent of what men read (vir, not homo!), they read in some electronic format. This is a reality that has to be faced. The Ignatius Press staff and I can only trust that we are meeting this new reality in the most prudent and efficient way possible: bringing HPR into the digital age. Admittedly, this is still very much a work-in-progress. If, therefore, you have any suggestions for me, or the staff, please send us an email at: hpr@jesuits.net.

May the Newborn bless your New Year, and may he bless all our different ways of evangelizing and serving him in the year ahead!

Yes, Sharon! Thanks for asking. It’s a huge task, but we’re very interested in getting as much of the HPR archive (remember, we were founded in 1900!) online and available as we can. Some older articles are available now, with more to come in the near future.

I am a seminarian in St Thomas Aquinas’ Major Seminary. I work in the Seminary Library and this magazine is, to my reckoning, second to none. I do enjoy your articles and sermons. It has always been my wish that many more people have access to this magazine. I am happy to hear that this is already a reality through the new method of going electronic. This is a great stride I must say. However, there is always a higher value in touching than merely seeing. A baby after seeing will want to touch and then taste. To me it makes all the difference. It makes all the difference when one touches the magazine itself. I will miss this. Our Library Magazine stand may not carry HPR, at least in its printed format. It is something our institution regrets a lot. I pray the situation gets better so that you are able make both electronic and hard prints available. God bless your efforts.

I hope the “model” homilies for every Sunday are also a part of this new production — and that the homilies list references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. These entries of the past years have been of great value to many of us; please continue to publish them.

At present, there is no subscription involved or cost to reading HPR online. Will ask Fr. Meconi, the editor, if the Homilies section will continue or not. Thanks for asking.
-Elenor Schoen. Managing Editor

Glory to Jesus Christ!
I am a Byzantine Catholic of the Eparchy of Parma, Ohio. I have subscribed to HPR for at least 30 years and have enjoyed it immensely. I would like to see more articles pertaining to my Church. I also am a subscriber to Catholic World Report. Looking forward to continuing to read your fine articles.
Frank H. Gazzolo

It is a sad day that HPR is no longer in print format. I’d love to print the electronic edition, as I used to take the magazine to read on trips, etc. when access to a computer to view issues. No such option yet. Can you fix that??

In the October 2011 issue, Fr. Fessio, the publisher of HPR, had a full-page letter on page 3 of that edition explaining to readers that we could no longer afford to print the magazine and would be going completely online in January 2012. Fr. Meconi, at the beginning of this column reiterates that we are now online. (See full statement at the top of this column.)
-Elenor
HPR Managing Editor

If homilies and articles can be downloaded to notebooks, notepads, and smartphones (so that they can be read on trips – – see above), you may actually improve your readership! My homiletic ministry is small, but HPR has always been a source for me. Keep it up! (And “down” soon – – pardon the pun).
God Bless

I am saddened about not receiving HPR paper edition. I do understand the cost factor in paper/printing/postage. I enjoyed sitting in a comfortable chair and reading your many fine articles at my lesiure (when I had leisure time). It is the way of technology however, as I would not expect you to keep incurring financial losses. I do wish HPR well and will have to get use to reading you on line. Keep us the good work. Fr. Jerome Fehn

I, too, am saddened about not receiving HPR paper edition. Most of your past editions adorn my bookcase(s) and are a source of great reference. I do understand the cost factor in paper/printing/postage, but hope that you will make all the past material (going forward) available for reference. I look forward to reading HPR online. Keep up the good work of your ministry!

My Pastor, Fr. Vidrine was trying to get the Homilies for the 4 Sundays in February, but we were unable to do so. Please let me know as soon as possible when they will be ready on the website, or if you could fax them to me.
Thank You,
Donna Brignac

Sadly, our Homilies section, which will be up soon, will begin with the Second Sunday in Lent, March 4. The reason for the gap in beginning this column, was that one of the writers was unable to provide homilies for January/February. So we are beginning later than we hoped. This will be more regular going forward. Our apologies for missing the beginning of the year homilies!
-Elenor
Managing Editor

To all concerned: My prayers are with you in this new venture. Like others I hope you will be able to restore the print version in the future, but the possibilities for evangelization through this online publication seem nearly endless. Let us all pray that these possibilities can be realized. All of us should be sending links to this publication to as many people as we can!

I am a lay Catholic, a convert seven years ago from a life largely without faith or prayer, although I was baptized as an infant in the Presbyterian tradition. I find HPR invaluable for my own continued learning as well as for catechetical use in my role as a member of my parish RCIA team. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide HPR and its contributors and readers in sharing the Gospel of Christ.

I have saved the final editions of CWR & HPR for the library of Fr. Ted Ross S.J., S.T.L.. He teaches Church History and Historical Theology at the Atheneum, the seminary of the Archdieoces of Cincinnati. When father’s life is through and he joins his fellow Jesuits, or at least some of them, who are with Saint Peter, he is going to leave his library to his friend, Father Mitch Pacwa SJ.

My thanks to Frs. Fessio and Baker what fantastic work they have done for His Church. I had the opportunity to video tape a talk Fr. Fessio gave here years ago about a letter he sent to than Cardinal Ratzinger suggesting a need for the reform of the reform. He read the Cardinal’s reply to us, it was written in German, the Cardinal who is now our Holy Father agreed with Fr. Fessio on the need for a reform. I was disappointed when the Holy Father, I think it was JPII, did not name Fr. Fessio Bishop of SF. Can you imagine that? Some of his first official acts could have been changes at SFU. He could have sent some of his fellow brothers of “The Company” to that small Nursing Home in Northern California as chaplains. Wouldn’t that have been ironic?
Regarding Fr. Baker, the first thing I read when the postman delivered HPR was father’s article which always on the last page. What a strong faith! This old electrician has absorbed much from this holy priest, Ignatius Press, and other Catholic publications. NCR and HPR on line works for me.

Thanks for contributing to my continuing catholic education, for this I am forever grateful. Saint Ignatius of Loyola can be proud of the both of you.

As a long-time reader of HPR, I am greatly disappointed in the web format. I paid for a portable format (a magazine) and now must read HPR at my computer. If you had the articles in pdf format, I could read them on my Nook (and many other portable devices). I was cheated.

Mr. Costello: Sorry for your disappointment. You are not alone in this. However, many printed newspapers and magazines, Catholic and secular print publications alike, are having to do the same thing to survive.
However, we have just been online for a month and we do hope to find ways, eventually, to make it easier to access. But can’t do it all at once as we are, as we always have been, a small staff.
Don’t give up yet!
-Elenor
HPR Managing Editor

I found out rather late that you will no longer publish HPR in magazine format, but have opted to move it to the web. I will not read it on the web since I work in IT and have to look at that glaring screen all day. My eyes are tired after looking at that blasted screen all day. However, when I get home I can pick up printed material and read without straining my eyes. The constant animation and pop-ups and articles, scattered hither and yon on a web page, are irritating, to say the least. I garnered a lot of information about my faith from your magazine and I thank you for that.

We hope to have a number of such additions to this online magazine. But we are still learning the ropes here, and we are a small staff. But we hope to keep adding new things to our online edition. Thanks for your interest in HPR.
-Elenor
HPR Managing Editor